What was originally conducted by up-to-date revolutionary? (4,5)
I believe the answer is:
coup detat
'what was' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.
'originally conducted by up-to-date revolutionary?' is the wordplay.
'originally' indicates taking the first letters.
'by' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'revolutionary?' is an anagram indicator (I've seen 'revolutionary' mean this).
The initial letter of 'conducted' is 'c'.
'up'+'to'+'date'='uptodate'
'uptodate' with letters rearranged gives 'oupdetat'.
'c'+'oupdetat'='COUP DETAT'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for coup detat that I've seen before include "sudden takeover" , "Violent seizure of power from a government" , "Anti-government action" , "revolutionary action" , "Sudden, perhaps violent, overthrow of a government" .)